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A key figure from Donald Trump's senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on Denmark by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be needed to assume control of the Arctic territory because “nobody is going to fight the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Denmark does not have a legitimate right to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

Miller’s comments come amid growing tensions between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has called an emergency session to examine the bilateral ties with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that dominion of the island could be achieved without armed conflict due to its limited number of residents.

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

“The core issue is what right does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What legal foundation of their territorial claim?” Miller questioned.

Miller continued: “The US is the dominant force in NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

There was, he said “no requirement to even think or talk about” a military operation in Greenland, reiterating: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

Global Responses

His comments followed Trump remarked recently, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by warning that an attack by the US a fellow alliance member would mean the collapse of the defensive pact and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, calling on the US president to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the social media post, he responded by stating: “It has been the official stance of the US government since the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump has been very clear about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it was integrated of the kingdom of Denmark. The US maintains a strategic installation there, critical to its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about Denmark’s treatment of the local population.

But amid the spectre of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a show of national unity, with its founding document declaring: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”